Morrison & Breytenbach Architects used BareStone cladding from Cemintel™ during the redesign of the Moonah Arts Centre in the City of Glenorchy.

Lightweight building systems are proving to be an essential choice for commercial and residential architects with product finishes and applications that can often outperform traditional building materials such as brick, stone and timber.

Featured in two of the winning entries at the 2015 Tasmanian Architecture Awards, Cemintel’s BareStone was used to capture the theme, history and essence of the design projects. The Moonah Arts Centre has, for instance, played an influential role in the cultural development of Glenorchy, serving the community with accessible and affordable arts and cultural experiences for over twenty years.

Commissioned to redesign the centre, Morrison & Breytenbach Architects responded to the brief by producing a modern, multi-functional venue that offered the community the perfect place to meet, connect and engage in art at all levels.

James Morrison and his team developed a creative and inspiring community design that would provide an appropriate backdrop to the art itself. When designing the exhibition space to showcase the art in the best possible light, the architects sought to produce an inviting venue that engaged audiences from all backgrounds. The centre also included a performance space, a workshop, a public forecourt and offices.

Aware that Cemintel’s BareStone cladding would play an important part in tying their design vision together, Morrison chose BareStone panels for the external walls of the foyer and the courtyard as well as the stores throughout the centre and also some of the office spaces.

Morrison explained that they wanted a product that had a natural feel and an honest quality to it. With no need to paint, BareStone’s pre-finished, raw cement-like appearance fitted the bill perfectly. Additionally, being lightweight, low maintenance, tough and robust, BareStone cladding fulfilled both the performance and aesthetic requirements of the brief.

The redesign of Moonah Arts Centre has been an outstanding success with visitor numbers climbing to 36,000 in the last twelve months alone, an increase from past annual visitor numbers of 6,000 - 8,000.

The Moonah Arts Centre won The Alan C Walker named award for Public Architecture and the COLORBOND Award for Steel Architecture at the 2015 Tasmanian Architecture Awards.

According to Jarrod Smith, Specifications Manager for Cemintel Victoria, Cemintel is committed to driving industry innovation and producing product solutions that meet both the functional and aesthetic demands of modern building design.